Day 3 / June 23, 2013 - Lima to Pto Maldonado Today we transferred to the airport for our 9 am flight to Puerto Maldonado. On arrival we were met by our guide from Posada Amazonas, who would be with us for our entire stay there. We then joined other guests for the drive to Rainforest Expeditions office, where we were given a cold fruit juice drink, and had time to pack a smaller bag for the trip to the rainforest, leaving our larger main bag in the locked storage at the office. If you don’t like re-packing in front of a group, then do your re-packing the night prior On the bus transfer to the river port, we were given a snack of fruit and roasted Brazil nuts. Once on the boat we were given out lunch which was similar to a fried rice dish but wrapped in a banana leaf. The Tambopata River is red in color as seen from the airplane but less so when riding on it. I love boat rides, even if they are over 4 hours! But this was only a 2 hour trip and it was interesting to get to know the other passengers as well as see the beautiful river vistas. There was a diverse group from Dragoman tours, which is an overland tour budget tour company. You have to be tough and ready for really rugged accommodations (a tent pitched in the middle of the night (by the traveler), in the middle of a field of cow paddies) and having to do your own grocery shopping and preparing of meals! It’s rustic no doubt, but then you get a couple of nights at a cushy jungle lodge, such as Posada Amazonas! So, we got to the lodge’s port, which was not as I ever envisioned a port to look like. We pulled up along the bank of the river, which is about 20 feet high, meaning we were climbing wooden stairs with hand rails (thank goodness), up about 200 steps. It may sound impossible to do, but you can go as slow as you need to and rest as long as needed. Once we got up the stairs we walked 20 minutes along a flat trail to the lodge. Your main bag is brought to your room by the porters and you only carry your personal backpack/bag. The lodge is beautiful and made from native wood that is reddish in color when cured and processed. All buildings and walkways are raised and mostly covered. The superior rooms have electricity but the standard rooms have candles and kerosene lamps for lights. Electricity and outlets to charge your batteries are found in the dining area. Electricity runs from 7 am to 11 am and then 3 pm to 9 pm, but they often don’t shut down until 9:30 pm. All meals are served buffet style and the food is awesome! There are potato dishes with avocado, tuna salad, quinoa soup, roasted chicken, french fries, beans and rice, eggs, fresh fruit, rolls and toast, yogurt, grilled fish and salads of cabbage and lettuce with other raw veggies.  One should be naturally skeptical of raw veggies when traveling, but I found out that the lodge actually washes all of the veggies with an iodine wash that kills the harmful bacteria that causes traveler’s diarrhea. However, each person is different and you must take it slow, testing it first and then eating more if ok. Taking probiotics prior to and during your travels will also prepare your stomach for foreign bacteria. All of the private guest room walls are made of bamboo with mud packed in between as well as adobe walls, but one can hear the neighbors, as you share a roof. Also, one side of the room is open to the outdoors and only has a bannister. There have not been reports of any wildlife “trespassing” into the rooms and I found that there weren't an overwhelming amount of insects in my room, especially considering this open design! Each bed has mosquito netting that is kept up in daytime and put down at night. There is also a safe in the room that is easy to operate. Next post >> Previous post >> Learn more about this program >>